A Sept. 29, 2024, fire at BioLab in Conyers creates a chemical plume

A fire at BioLab in Conyers, Ga., on Sept. 29, 2024, creates a chemical plume that lingered for weeks after.

Credit: Al Sadler Sr.

On April 7, the U.S. Department of Labor released a news release about its investigation into the Sept. 29 chemical fire at the BioLab Inc. facility in Conyers, Ga., east of Atlanta.

The investigation revealed that the cause of the fire was the result of improperly stored chemicals at the facility.

"The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation learned that the incident originated at a company warehouse that stored various chemicals," the news release states.

OHSA has cited BioLab for "four serious and two other-than-serious" violations and proposed the company pay $61,473 in penalties.

The release states that BioLab has 15 business days from the date of the citations and penalties "to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission."

BioLab issued the following statement following the citations:

"BioLab takes operational safety very seriously, and the company has been closely cooperating with OSHA. OSHA’s investigation did not focus on the cause of the incident, and the agency shared no findings with the company that would substantiate the statement in the press release about the cause. Consistent with our commitment to working collaboratively with OSHA, we continue to dialogue with the agency and its representatives as we work together to further enhance our safety procedures for the future."

For more on the BioLab chemical fire, tune into Manufacturing Danger: The BioLab Story, where GPB's Pamela Kirkland investigates what led to the fire, how officials and the company responded, and the lingering questions about its impact on the community.

This is a developing story. Pamela will have the latest news on the investigation and citations against BioLab.

Tags: Georgia  Conyers  BioLab  Department of Labor  chemical fire  investigation